Electrical connector crimping tool



1968 w. M. WERNER ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR CRIMPING TOOL Filed July 25, 1966 United States Patent 3,410,129 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR CRIMPING TOOL Walter Myers Werner, Downingtown, Pa., assignor to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. Filed July 25, 1966, Ser. No. 567,488 5 Claims. (Cl. 72-410) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A crimping tool wherein the dies thereof are guided for rectilinear movement towards and away from each other by guide means comprising projections on the dies engaging guide slots in the tie plates arranged on movement of the dies by pivotal movement of the jaw plates to maintain a constant relative orientation between the dies.

This invention relates to an electrical connector crimping tool in which a pair of crimping dies are brought together to efiect crimping.

In tools of this type the dies are rotatably mounted at the mouth of the tool on jaw plates and the jaw plates are opened and closed by a pair of handles pivotally connected with the jaw plates. Since the jaw plates are moved in pivotal fashion, the dies are moved in arcuate paths. If the dies are fixed relative to the die plates, then as the dies move in the arcuate paths the relative orientation of mating faces of the dies varies and this variation may have an adverse effect during crimping.

Such a known tool has a pair of pivotally connected handles connected to jaw plates respectively pivoted to a tie plate whereby opening and closing of the handles effects pivotal movement of the jaw plates and the movement of dies supported by the jaw plates away from and towards each other, the dies being pivotally supported by the jaw plates.

An object of the invention is to provide a crimping tool having a straight action movement by the crimping die members.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a crimping tool having guide means to effect the straight action movement of the die members.

A further object of the invention is to provide a crimping tool having crimping dies rotatably mounted thereon and guide means to guide the crimping dies along a rectilinear path during the crimping operation.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a crimping tool which is simple to operate and economical to manufacture.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention; it is to be understood, however, that this embodiment is not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but is given for purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the condi tions of a particular use.

According to the present invention the dies are guided for rectilinear movement towards and away from each other by guide means comprising projections on the dies engaging guide slots in the tie plates arranged on movement of the dies by pivotal movement of the jaw plates to maintain a constant relative orientation between the dies.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a pair of tie plates are disposed one on each side of the dies, each 3,410,129 Patented Nov. 12, 1968 jaw plate is pivotable about a respective pin extending between the tie plates, and the projections on the dies comprise pins engaging arcuate slots in the tie plates to define guide means so that the dies follow a rectilinear path during the crimping operation. The arcuate slots for each die have a radius of curvature substantially equal to the spacing between the pivot of the die on the jaw plates and the pivot of the jaw plates on the tie plates.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a front view of a tool; and

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG- URE 1.

Tool T includes a pair of handles 10 which are pivotally connected together at their upper ends by a pin 11. A pair of jaws 12 each comprising two spaced jaw plates 13 are pivotally connected by pins 14 to links 15 which extend from slots 16 in the handles 10 and are secured by pins 17. The jaws 12 are pivotally connected between tie plates 18 by pins 19. A floating pivot pin 20 is carried between semi-circular recesses 21 in adjacent inner portions of the jaws 12. Crimping dies 22 are rotatably mounted on pins 23 between the jaw plates 13 at the mouth 24 of the tool. Crimping dies 22 are similar to those disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,900,854. Retractable indexing pins 25 are positioned in apertures 26 of the dies 22 and extend on both sides of the dies 22 into arcuate guide slots 27 in the tie plates 18. The arcuate guide slot 27 for each die 22 has a radius of curvature substantially equal to the spacing between the pivot 23 of the die on the jaw plates and the pivot 19 of the jaw plates on the tie plates. The center of curvature of the slots 27 for each die 22 is that point completing a parallelogram defined by the pin 19, pin 23 and indexing pin 25 associated with each of the jaws 12.

While the arcuate guide slots and the indexing pins have been disclosed as being located respectively on the tie plates and in the dies, the reverse thereof could operate just as effectively, i.e. arcuate guide slots in the dies and indexing pins on the tie plates.

In the use of the tool, opening of the handles 10 from the closed position of FIGURE 1 causes the jaws 12 to pivot about the pins 19 to cause movement of the dies 22 away from each other. Although the pins 23 about which the dies 22 are rotatably mounted describe arcuate paths, the dies maintain a constant relative orientation by continuous compensatory rotation opposite to the sense of the rotation of the jaws 12 which is caused by the guiding action of the slots 27 on the indexing pins 25 which slide along the slots. When the handles are fully open, the indexing pins 25 are positioned at the outer ends of the slots 27 and a closing of the handles to form a crimping operation causes a reverse compensatory rotation of the dies so that the dies follow a rectilinear path during the crimping operation.

Adjustment means may be provided to compensate for Wear of the crimping dies and related parts in accordance with the disclosure of US. patent application Ser. No. 420,586, filed Dec. 23, 1964, and now Patent No. 3,345,856, issued Oct. 10, 1967.

It will, therefore, be appreciated that the aforementioned and other desirable objects have been achieved; however, it should be emphasized that the particular embodiment of the invention, which is shown and described herein, is intended as merely illustrative and not as restrictive of the invention.

The invention is claimed in accordance with the following:

1. A tool for crimping electrical connectors to conductors comprising handles pivotally connected together, jaw plates pivotally connected to said handles, tie plates connected to said jaw plates with said jaw plates being pivotally movable with respect to said tie plates, die means pivotally mounted on said jaw plates, one of said tie plates and said die means having arcuate guide slots, and pin means located in one of said tie plates, and said die means and disposed in said arcuate guide slots to rectilinearly guide the die means toward and away from each other when said handles are moved toward and away from each other.

2. A tool according to claim 1 wherein said arcuate guide slots are located in said tie plates.

3. A tool according to claim 1 wherein said arcuate guide slots are located in said die means.

4. A tool according to claim 1 wherein said arcuate guide slots have a radius of curvature subtsantially equal to the spacing between the pivot of said die means on said jaw plates and the pivot of said jaw plates on said tie plates.

5. In a tool having operating members movable in a rectilinear direction toward and away from each other, tie plates and jaw plates, pin elements connecting said tie plates and jaw plates together with said jaw plates movable relative to said tie plates, pin members connecting said operating members to said jaw members, one of said operating members and said tie plates having arcuate guide slots, pins in one of said operating members and said tie plates and disposed in said arcuate guide slots to guide said operating members in said rectilinear direction, and handle means pivotally connected together and to said jaw plates to move said jaw plates and operating members relative to said tie plates.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,900,854 8/1959 Werner 72-410 2,992,576 7/1961 Evans et al. 72-410 3,205,568 9/1965 Stull 72-410 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

R. D. GREFE, Assistant Examiner. 

